Written by our friends at the American Dairy Association

Focus on including dairy in your kids’ meals during this back-to-school time. Milk, cheese and yogurt help kids grow up strong because they deliver a unique combination of essential nutrients. They also keep kids energized throughout their day, keeping them focused throughout the school day. 

Here are two easy ways to fuel their day with dairy:

  1. Have a smoothie before school.

A smoothie made with real milk and yogurt is a simple and easy way to pack a lot of nutrition into one glass and kids love them!  This delicious strawberry acai smoothie is the perfect way to start their day.

Strawberry Acai Smoothie Recipe

Ingredients:

½ cup milk

6 ounces strawberry yogurt

1 cup slide strawberries, fresh or frozen

1-ince piece of ginger, peeled

2 small beets, cooked and cooled

1 teaspoon acai powder

Preparation:

In a blender, combine milk, yogurt, strawberries, ginger and beets. Blend over high speed until smooth. Serve immediately.

        2. Include dairy in lunchboxes.

Adding individual milks, snacking cheeses and yogurts to your kid’s lunch boxes is another easy way to fuel their day with dairy. Not only are these dairy products affordable, accessible, and nutritious they have key nutrients that play an important role in child nutrition by supporting growth and development.

Try a few of these pairings from this resource:

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Ellie Wilson

MS, RDN, CDN, FAND

Food and health are deeply connected – the quality and quantity of nutrient rich foods throughout our life is directly related to how we grow and stay well. I count our regional access to diverse types of farms and agricultural products as a big win for our customers and communities, especially the number of dairy farms and the range of products dairy contributes to wellbeing. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans₁ persistently recommend 3 servings of dairy per day because it is a familiar, accessible and delicious way to get a significant amount of nutrients in each serving – some of which are nutrients, like calcium, potassium, Vitamin D, and fiber, we are not getting enough of for optimal health.₂ Check out how dairy foods fuel wellness for all ages and stages!

Infants and toddlers – benefit from Mom’s intake of dairy, such as milk and yogurt, while they are pregnant and nursing, with B12 and Choline supporting red blood cell production for Mom and baby, and the growth of infant brains. Toddlers transition to whole milk at about 1 year old because it has a powerful matrix of nutrients that support overall physical and cognitive health and growth. In fact, milk and water are the primary beverages recommended for toddlers and children through age 5. For them, dairy fuels growth, muscle and bone development,₃ and helps build immunity, with its protein, Vitamin A and D, zinc and selenium content.₄ This is also why milk and dairy are such a focus in schools – both regular and chocolate milk fuel growth and wellness throughout their school years. During that time milk and dairy are considered “vehicle” foods – they deliver a range of critical nutrients whether they are enjoyed alone or with other foods, like fruit and whole grains, when snacking or eating a meal. Teens are often way below the dairy intake they need, so encouraging some deliberate focus on dairy intake is a smart move. Adolescence is a unique time of growth, particularly for increasing bone mass and density to prepare for adulthood needs.₁ We are only ‘young’ for the first 18 years – the quality and quantity of the remaining 60+ years is partially built on the food and health habits of those critical growing stages.

The Summer 2024 Olympics are in full swing, which brings me to fueling adults and performance, whatever that may be, including sports, hobbies, training and working the full spectrum of jobs and careers, having families and managing the general chaos of busy lives. All of that requires fuel to support your best efforts, whether it be to win the gold medal, or “win” from having the health, stamina, and energy to seek your most optimal path through life. We all have a need to ensure we can perform whatever actions required to live well and reach our goals. For those Olympians, who may be participating in more than one event, chocolate milk, yogurt and cheese sticks are go-to refuelers, providing hydration, electrolytes, protein and carbohydrates to refuel and recover quickly between sports events. Hard-working adults have a similar level of stress on body systems – maintaining a regular habit of enjoying dairy may be just the thing you need to enjoy the fruits of your labor and everything else!₁

Dairy delivers wholesome goodness, again and again, to our glasses and plates, supporting the wellbeing, energy, enjoyment and vitality that brings richness to our lives. Enjoy!   

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Sources:

₁U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines

for Americans, 2020-2025. 9th Edition. December 2020. Accessed at https://www.dietaryguidelines.

gov/sites/default/files/2020-12/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans_2020-2025.pdf

 

HEI Scores for Americans | Food and Nutrition Service (usda.gov)

 

Weaver CM, Gordon CM, Janz KF, et al. The National Osteoporosis Foundation’s position statement

on peak bone mass development and lifestyle factors: a systematic review and implementation

recommendations. Osteoporos Int. 2016;27(4):1281-1386. doi:10.1007/s00198-015-3440-3.

 

Calder PC, Carr AC, Gombart AF, Eggersdorfer M. Optimal nutritional status for a well-functioning immune system is an important factor to protect against viral infections. Nutrients. 2020;12(4):1181.

Looking to eat at home more oppsoed to dining out? It’s time to enjoy the comfort of delicious, homemade sandwiches made right in your kitchen! This week’s menu features Sausage, Egg, & Cheese Bagels along with restaurant-style chicken sandwiches. Let’s take a deep dive on what we are serving…

Sausage, Egg, & Cheese Bagels

1 pack Market 32 Breakfast Sausage

1 pack Thomas Bagels

PICS Large White Eggs (BIG sale on 18 ct. PICS Large White Eggs this week!)

1 pack PICS Sliced Cheese

Shop Sausage, Egg, & Cheese Bagels

Restaurant-Style Chicken Sandwiches

1 lb. (or 4 cutlets) Market 32 Gourmet Panko Breaded Chicken Cutlets

1 pack PICS Hamburger Buns

1 pack PICS Sliced Cheese

Vlasic Pickle Chips 

Wise Potato Chips

Shop for Restaurant-Style Chicken Sandwiches!

Restaurant-Style Sauce:

Our chicken sandwich is not complete without the sauce!

What you’ll need:

1/4 Cup PICS Honey

2 Tablespoons PICS Yellow Mustard

1/4 Cup PICS BBQ Sauce

1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice

1/2 Cup PICS Mayo

Whisk all the ingredients together, refrigerate, and there you have it!

Recipe from Family Fresh Meals

Our July Cheese of the Month is certainly something to boast about! This month we have a soft, delicate cheese with a milky, fresh flavor that resembles a Mozzarella ball but with a soft filling of fresh pieces of Mozzarella soaked in heavy cream known as “Stracciatella.” Each ball is made from fresh milk from local farmers, hand-formed, and packaged in water to ensure maximum freshness. Eat plain or with an antipasto cheeseboard.

Top a hot baked pizza just before serving, or add to salads of arugula and peaches or Caprese with tomato and basil. Burrata pairs well with tomatoes, roasted peppers, herbs, cured meats, melon, grapes, peaches, olives, and light wine.

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Old Croc Grand Reserve Cheddar is aged two years for an extra sharp, rich flavor. The texture is creamy yet crumbly, with noticeably crunchy crystals. Imported from Australia and crafted with all-natural, grass-fed cow’s milk, no hormones added. Experience Old Croc Grand Reserve with smoked sausage, crusty bread, and dried fruit.

Pair it with a crisp sparkling wine, NYS cider, aged Zinfandel, dark chocolate, or honey butter.

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Written by our friends at the American Dairy Association

National Dairy Month is celebrated annually during June to recognize the contributions of the dairy industry and the hardworking dairy farmers behind the milk and dairy products making it to your grocery store shelves every day. This year, we want to focus on real milk and yogurt tubs to make a delicious, filling smoothie. What better time for an ice cold drink than summertime?

A smoothie made with real, wholesome milk or yogurt is a delicious way to get high-quality protein and other essential nutrients that your body needs to help fuel your day.

Use Real Dairy as the base of the smoothie.

  • Milk makes an excellent base for any smoothie. Milk has a significant amount of protein as well as a powerful package of 13 essential nutrients including calcium, protein, phosphorus, vitamin D, vitamin A, and several B vitamins. Add more or less milk depending on how thick you like your smoothie.
  •  
  • Yogurt also makes a great base for a smoothie. Yogurt is another excellent source of protein and 9 essential nutrients. Most yogurts are made with live and active cultures, and some also provide probiotics – or good bacteria – that may help maintain digestive health, boost immunity, fight infection and protect against diseases.

Are you a dairy lover interested in learning more about the history of Dairy Month? Check out more here

Where does your milk come from?

Click here to meet dairy farming families in the Northeast.

Click here to meet dairy farming families in New England.

Learn more about dairy farming in the Northeast at AmericanDairy.com and in New England at NewEnglandDairy.com

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Haleigh Eustis

Intern, Digital Marketing

 May is here, which means nice weather is on its way! What’s better than an iced cold margarita in the summer? What about tequila and lime . . . in cheese form? I know what you’re thinking, tequila and cheddar cheese? But trust me, this delectable combo is equally delicious as it is unique! Henning’s Tequila Lime Cheddar Cheese is a creamy cheese with the bite and tang of a zesty lime, finished with the warmth of tequila.  

Henning’s Tequila Lime Cheddar Cheese is the perfect cheese on its own or paired with crackers for a midday snack. Enjoy this cheese with a tangy flavor burst of pomegranate seeds, or with an assortment of cured meats. If you’re looking to sip something with this uniquely flavored cheese, try out a Belgian ale or Chardonnay and enjoy!  

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Haleigh Eustis

Intern, Digital Marketing

Aprils showers might bring May flowers, but what about cheese? This April, Price Chopper/Market 32 is proud to announce our cheese of the month: Sartori’s Bellavitano Cheese! This creamy, rich textured cheese comes from the great state of Wisconsin.  Bellavitano is a unique hard cheese that has an irresistible nutty, fruity base flavor with a tangy finish. Bellavitano comes in a variety of different flavors to accompany its parmesan like flavor.  

Sartori’s Bellavitano Cheese is the perfect cheese for a charcuterie board as its robust flavors and crunchy calcium lactate crystals pair well with fresh fruits such as apples and grapes. Want to add something savory as well? Bellavitano pairs perfectly with plenty of cured meats and delicious crusty bread such as baguettes! Pair this cheese with a Pinot Noir or a light raspberry ale and enjoy!  

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Happy March! As we approach the end of winter, March provides us with warmer weather and . . . luck! Celebrate the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day by indulging in the rich flavors of McCall’s Irish Cheddar cheese, the perfect accompaniment to honor the luck of the Irish! Price Chopper/Market 32 is thrilled to carry this creamy and buttery yellow cheddar cheese, made by the milk of cows that graze on lush, green pastures!  

McCall’s Irish Cheddar is a robust nutty cheese that has a smooth texture that melts in your mouth. Of course, cheddar is the perfect cheese to snack on its own, but it pairs beautifully with cured meats, and a sweet side of jams, apples or pears! Enjoy your McCall’s Irish Cheddar with a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon or the taste of an English stout to elevate your cheese experience! 

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Welcome to February! Amongst the cold and dreary weather of the winter, February proves to be a fan-favorite month due to a few different occasions: Valentine’s Day and the Big Game! Though these two days are vastly different, both can be elevated with good company . . . and good cheese! Price Chopper/Market 32 is thrilled to announce our cheese of the month: BelGioioso Blue Cheese! End the age-old “ranch or blue cheese” debate with our robust and tangy, blue-veined cheese!  

BelGioioso Blue Cheese is a crumbly and creamy cheese made from cow’s milk while being pierced with small holes, allowing air to penetrate and facilitating the growth of beneficial mold. Paired nicely with cured meats, bread and grapes, blue cheese is the perfect accent for any charcuterie board. Enjoy your BelGioioso Blue Cheese with a bottle of Riesling or the taste of a bitter-sweet chocolate stout to elevate your cheese experience!

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